Think Nickel Eddy Haegel Asset President Nickel West 5 August 2019 - BHP
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Think Nickel
Eddy Haegel
Asset President Nickel West
5 August 2019
Sam Penglis
Operations Readiness Manager
Nickel Sulphate Project, Kwinana
Disclaimer Forward-looking statements This presentation contains forward-looking statements, including statements regarding: trends in commodity prices and currency exchange rates; demand for commodities; plans, strategies and objectives of management; closure or divestment of certain operations or facilities (including associated costs); anticipated production or construction commencement dates; capital costs and scheduling; operating costs and shortages of materials and skilled employees; anticipated productive lives of projects, mines and facilities; provisions and contingent liabilities; tax and regulatory developments. Forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of terminology such as ‘intend’, ‘aim’, ‘project’, ‘anticipate’, ‘estimate’, ‘plan’, ‘believe’, ‘expect’, ‘may’, ‘should’, ‘will’, ‘continue’, ‘annualised’ or similar words. These statements discuss future expectations concerning the results of operations or financial condition, or provide other forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not guarantees or predictions of future performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, many of which are beyond our control, and which may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the statements contained in this presentation. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements. For example, future revenues from our operations, projects or mines described in this presentation will be based, in part, upon the market price of the minerals, metals or petroleum produced, which may vary significantly from current levels. These variations, if materially adverse, may affect the timing or the feasibility of the development of a particular project, the expansion of certain facilities or mines, or the continuation of existing operations. Other factors that may affect the actual construction or production commencement dates, costs or production output and anticipated lives of operations, mines or facilities include our ability to profitably produce and transport the minerals, petroleum and/or metals extracted to applicable markets; the impact of foreign currency exchange rates on the market prices of the minerals, petroleum or metals we produce; activities of government authorities in some of the countries where we are exploring or developing these projects, facilities or mines, including increases in taxes, changes in environmental and other regulations and political uncertainty; labour unrest; and other factors identified in the risk factors discussed in BHP’s filings with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (the ‘SEC’) (including in Annual Reports on Form 20-F) which are available on the BHP website at www.bhp.com. Except as required by applicable regulations or by law, the Group does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or review any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or future events. Past performance cannot be relied on as a guide to future performance. Non-IFRS and other financial information BHP results are reported under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). This presentation may also include certain non-IFRS (also referred to as alternate performance measures) and other measures including Underlying attributable profit, Underlying EBITDA (all references to EBITDA refer to Underlying EBITDA), Underlying EBIT, Adjusted effective tax rate, Controllable cash costs, Free cash flow, Gearing ratio, Net debt, Net operating assets, Operating assets free cash flow, Principal factors that affect Underlying EBITDA, Underlying basic earnings/(loss) per share, Underlying EBITDA margin and Underlying return on capital employed (ROCE) (all references to return on capital employed refer to Underlying return on capital employed), Underlying return on invested capital (ROIC). These measures are used internally by management to assess the performance of our business and segments, make decisions on the allocation of our resources and assess operational management. Non-IFRS and other measures have not been subject to audit or review and should not be considered as an indication of or alternative to an IFRS measure of profitability, financial performance or liquidity. Presentation of data Unless specified otherwise: variance analysis relates to the relative performance of BHP and/or its operations during the December 2017 half year compared with the December 2016 half year; operations includes operated assets and non-operated assets; data is presented on a continuing operations basis from the 2014 financial year onwards; references to Underlying EBITDA margin exclude third party trading activities; data from subsidiaries are shown on a 100 per cent basis and data from equity accounted investments and other operations is presented, with the exception of net operating assets, reflecting BHP’s share; medium term refers to our five year plan. Numbers presented may not add up precisely to the totals provided due to rounding. No offer of securities Nothing in this presentation should be construed as either an offer or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell BHP securities in any jurisdiction, or be treated or relied upon as a recommendation or advice by BHP. Reliance on third party information The views expressed in this presentation contain information that has been derived from publicly available sources that have not been independently verified. No representation or warranty is made as to the accuracy, completeness or reliability of the information. This presentation should not be relied upon as a recommendation or forecast by BHP. BHP and its subsidiaries In this presentation, the terms ‘BHP’, ‘Group’, ‘BHP Group’, ‘we’, ‘us’, ‘our’ and ‘ourselves’ are used to refer to BHP Billiton Limited, BHP Billiton Plc and, except where the context otherwise requires, their respective subsidiaries as defined in note 28 ‘Subsidiaries’ in section 5.1 of BHP’s Annual Report on Form 20-F and in note 13 ‘Related undertaking of the Group’ in section 5.2 of BHP’s Annual Report on Form 20-F. Eddy Haegel, Asset President Nickel West 5 August 2019 2
Exploration Results - Competent Person Statement Nickel West Exploration Results Competent Person Statement M Menicheli is a current Member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (MAusIMM) and a full-time employee of BHP. M Menicheli has sufficient experience that is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the ‘Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves’ (JORC Code). M Menicheli consents to the inclusion in the presentation of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears. Perseverance Channel is located on the eastern margin of the Agnew-Wiluna greenstone belt, a well-endowed nickel sulphide province, between Perseverance and Venus operations on mining lease ML255A and has unlimited renewal terms of 21 years. Local stratigraphic sequence comprises a lower tholeiitic basalt with minor gabbro, overlain by a thick sequence of dominantly felsic, volcanic and volcaniclastic rock with lesser mafic units, cherts, pelitic sediments and black shales (Gole et al, 1988). Several komatiite sequences are intercalated within the felsic sequence, some of which contain large olivine adcumulate units. These units have been altered to a mid-amphibolite facies grade with the ultramafic typically serpentinised with varying degrees of talc-carbonate alteration. The structural architecture is a result of polyphase folding with later stage regional faulting. Duuring et al (2004), in general agreement with earlier workers, recognise a regional D1 event involving south-vergent, tight to isoclinal folds overprinted by NNW -trending D2 upright folds forming regional scale anticlines and synclines. Subsequent deformation events have resulted in smaller scale subordinate parasitic folds and faults. Perseverance Ultramafic host several nickel deposits with the most notable being Perseverance and Venus. The Perseverance architecture is used as a proxy for Perseverance channel interpretation sitting in the same geological context and comprises a main high- grade disseminated nickel core with associated, structurally remobilised and constrained, massive sulphide lenses (mainly formed pentlandite and pyrrhotite assemblage) surrounded by a large low grade disseminated ‘cloud’ of mineralisation. The deposit occupies the stratigraphic base of a major komatiitic channel complex located on the eastern limb of an overturned regional anticline (Gole et al, 1988). The complex is east facing, strikes north south for about 2km and is about 700m at its widest. The target was first tested in 2012 from the surface using diamond drilling. The 2012 drill campaign comprised of one diamond drill hole with collar started in PQ (LSDX132) and three wedging holes deriving from parent hole were wedge 1 (W1) missed the target and W2 pierced the main mineralisation. W3 pierced mineralisation higher up in the sequence missing the high grade zone. The initial drillholes commenced as PQ core size and the drill holes sizes reduced to HQ, NQ and BQ as a strategy to drill through unconsolidated shear zones. The sampled mineralised zones core size ranges between NQ to BQ. The 2019 program consisted of four diamond holes (HQ diameter), drilled from the Venus underground lower access drives. All the relevant intersections of the mineralised zone, including internal barren lithologies, are listed in Table 1. Only two holes, LVU465-2 and LVU465-3, have assays returned at the time of this presentation. Samples in both campaigns were collected following company protocols, consisting of, cutting the core in half for samples where ultramafics or sulphides were identified from logging and including a 10m sampling buffer beyond the contacts. The remaining half core is stored at the Leinster core farm. The minimum sample interval is 10cm to a maximum of two metres, dependent upon lithological boundaries. All assays were performed in an external certified laboratory using XRF and verified using company QAQC procedures, with no issues identified. All drill holes were monitored with survey partial shots and surveyed as a whole for final validation and record. Nickel percent of intervals presented on slide 14 are weighted averages including the barren rocks and are weighted by length and density. Significant intervals are selected based on geological continuity and an approximate one percent nickel cut-off as a separation guide. Intersections lengths on slide 14 are apparent down-hole lengths and do not represent true width of the mineralisation. Current interpretation of the target is based on rock types and stratigraphy acquired from geological logging, assay results and current understanding of the Perseverance Ultramafic structural architecture. A north looking vertical cross section and its relative location is shown in Figure 1 (slide 4), summarising current geological understanding. A drill hole program to further define the Perseverance Channel target is in progress with 15 drill holes planned for completion by end of FY2020. References Duuring, P., Bleeker, W., Beresford, S., 2004. Structural Overview of the Agnew–Wiluna Greenstone Belt, Yilgarn Craton, Western Australia. P710 AMIRA Research Project Gole, M.J., Barnes, S.J., Hill, R.E.T., 1988. The Geology of the Agnew Nickel Deposit, Western Australia. CIM Bulletin, September 1988 Eddy Haegel, Asset President Nickel West 5 August 2019 3
Perseverance Channel Exploration – Figure 1
Plan View Long section (S-N) Cross section (W-E)
A N C
Perseverance
Channel Perseverance
(projected)
A B
Perseverance
Channel
C
500m D
B D
Eddy Haegel, Asset President Nickel West
5 August 2019
4
Exploration Statements Table 1 - drill hole intersections
Perseverance Channel Drilling Campaigns
Weighted
Collar MGA94_51- MGA94_51- MGA94_5 Collar Mineralisation Mineralisation Weighted Ni% Best Best
Depth End date Collar Dip Length Density Length Density Ni%
position East North 1-Elev AZM FROM TO Average FROM TO
Average
872.3 874.7 2 3.0 0.9 1720.9 1733.4 12 2.8 1.4
1720.9 1789.85 66 3.1 1.1 - - - -
LSDX132 Surface 272,932.1 6,921,489.4 525.1 2,251.1 29-Apr-12 62.8 - 71.0
2027.05 2040 13 3.1 1.1 - - - -
Total 81 3.1 1.0 Total 12 2.8 1.4
2012 Campaign
LSDX132W1 LSDX132 272,932.1 6,921,489.4 525.1 2,275.9 4-Jul-12 62.8 - 71.0 Not Mineralised
1701.45 1705.82 4 3.1 1.40 1702.5 1705.8 3 3.2 1.6
LSDX132W2 LSDX132 272,932.1 6,921,489.4 525.1 1,927.3 30-Aug-12 62.8 - 71.0 1713.9 1847 133 3.2 0.85 1717.0 1740.6 24 2.9 2.1
Total 137 3 0.9 Total 27 2.9 2.0
1726.45 1730.8 4 2.7 0.94 - - - -
LSDX132W3 LSDX132 272,932.1 6,921,489.4 525.1 2,000.9 3-Nov-12 62.8 - 71.0 1745.15 1747.1 2 2.7 0.69 - - - -
Total 6 2.7 0.9 Total - -
LVU465-2 UG 273,687.8 6,921,546.7 - 526.8 552.9 24-May-19 107.3 - 84.9 449.27 521.12 72 2.9 1.6 454.4 495.1 41 3.0 2.0
2019 Campaign
442.82 451.3 8 2.9 1.5 442.8 451.3 8 2.9 1.5
LVU465-3 UG 273,687.0 6,921,547.3 - 526.6 577.2 6-Jul-19 109.7 - 79.4 464.82 543.4 79 3.0 1.1 464.8 489.0 24 3.2 2.1
Total 87 3.0 1.1 Total 33 3.1 2.0
LVU465-10 UG 273,687.8 6,921,545.6 - 526.6 561.7 21-Jan-19 70.9 - 76.7 Assays pending
LVU465-11 UG 273,687.9 6,921,545.6 - 526.5 566.6 13-Feb-19 38.2 - 75.8 Assays pending
Eddy Haegel, Asset President Nickel West
5 August 2019 5
Mineral Resources - Competent Person Statement
Nickel West Mineral Resources Competent Person Statement
The information in this slide relates to Nickel West Mineral Resources as at 30 June 2019 and are inclusive of Ore Reserves and is based on information prepared by M Menicheli, Competent Person for all declared Mineral Resources.
M Menicheli is a current Member of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (MAusIMM) and a full-time employee of BHP. M Menicheli has sufficient experience that is relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the
activity which he is undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the ‘Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral Resources and Ore Reserves’ (JORC Code). M Menicheli consents to the inclusion in the
presentation of the matters based on his information in the form and context in which it appears.
Mineral Resources as presented are reported in 100 per cent terms. All tonnes and quality information have been rounded, hence small differences may be present in the totals. Total contain nickel metal is presented in the table below as kilotonnes and as million
tonnes rounded to two significant figures on slide 11 (no metallurgical recovery have been applied to the calculation of contained nickel metal). Mineral Resource classification depends on mineralisation type and geological complexity, with no Mineral Resources
beyond 100m x 100m drilling spacing.
Nickel West Mineral Resources as at 30 June 2019
Measured Resources Indicated Resources Inferred Resources Total Resources BHP
Commodity
Ore Type Cut-off Interest
Deposit
Mt %Ni Mt %Ni Mt %Ni Mt %Ni KtNi metal %
Leinster (1) OC ≥ 0.40%Ni 3.3 1.8 2.8 1.2 3.2 1.0 9.3 1.4 130 100
Disseminated Sulphide ≥ 0.40%Ni 2.6 0.70 76 0.52 89 0.50 168 0.52 874
UG ≥ 1.0%Ni 16 2.1 10 2.2 5.4 2.0 31 2.1 651
Oxide ≥ 1.2%Ni – – – – 5.3 1.8 5.3 1.8 95
SP ≥ 0.70%Ni – – 1.4 1.0 – – 1.4 1.0 14
SP Oxidised ≥ 0.70%Ni – – – – 1.9 1.7 1.9 1.7 32
Mt Keith (2) Disseminated Sulphide 134 0.54 67 0.52 24 0.52 225 0.53 1,193 100
Variable between 0.35%Ni and
SP 0.40%Ni 8.4 0.48 – – – – 8.4 0.48 40
Cliffs (3) Disseminated Sulphide ≥ 0.40%Ni – – 6.7 0.88 2.0 1.0 8.6 0.92 79 100
Massive Sulphide Stratigraphic 0.72 3.7 1.3 3.9 0.49 3.8 2.5 3.8 95
Yakabindie Disseminated Sulphide ≥ 0.40%Ni 0.62 170 0.62 439 0.61 2,678 100
Venus (4) Disseminated Sulphide ≥ 0.40%Ni – – 4.2 1.9 2.3 1.6 6.5 1.8 117 100
Massive Sulphide Stratigraphic – – 0.84 6.2 0.69 6.1 1.5 6.2 93
Nickel West Projects
Jericho Disseminated Sulphide ≥ 0.40%Ni – – – – 31 0.59 31 0.59 183 50
(1) Leinster - Mineral Resources increased including a maiden declaration of Oxide ore type and an updated estimate of UG ore type supported by additional drilling. SP tonnage decreased due to depletion.
(2) Mt Keith - The decrease in SP Mineral Resources was due to depletion.
(3) Cliffs - The increase in Disseminated Sulphide Mineral Resources was due to an upgrade in the resource estimate supported by additional drilling.
(4) Venus – The increase in Disseminated Sulphide Mineral Resources was mainly due to an updated resource estimate supported by additional drilling.
6
Ore Reserves - Competent Person Statement
Nickel West Ore Reserves Competent Person Statement
The information in this slide relates to Nickel West Ore Reserves as at 30 June 2019 and is based on information prepared by the Competent Persons for each deposit. The Competent Persons are C Barclay and S Gadi for Leinster; D Brosztl and S Gadi for Mt Keith
and Yakabindie; A Hadzhiev for Cliffs; and C Barclay and P Cunningham for Venus
All Competent Persons are current Members of the Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (MAusIMM) and are full-time employees of BHP except P Cunningham who is employed by AMC Consultants. All Competent Persons have sufficient experience
relevant to the style of mineralisation and type of deposit under consideration and to the activity which they are undertaking to qualify as a Competent Person as defined in the 2012 Edition of the ‘Australasian Code for Reporting of Exploration Results, Mineral
Resources and Ore Reserves’ (JORC Code). All Competent Persons consent to the inclusion in this presentation of the matters based on their information in the form and context in which it appears.
Ore Reserves as presented are reported in 100 per cent terms. All tonnes and quality information have been rounded, hence small differences may be present in the totals. Total contained nickel metal is presented in the table below as kilotonnes and as million
tonnes rounded to two significant figures on slide 11 (no metallurgical recovery have been applied to the calculation of contained nickel metal). Drill spacing used to define Ore Reserves classification and metallurgical recoveries are presented in footnotes (1), (3) and
(4) respectively.
Nickel West Ore Reserves as at 30 June 2019
Proved Ore Reserves Probable Ore Reserves Total Ore Reserves BHP
Deposit Cut-off Ore Type Reserve Life Interest
Mt %Ni Mt %Ni Mt %Ni ktNi metal %
Leinster (5)(6) ≥0.40%Ni OC 1.3 0.96 2.8 0.79 4.1 0.84 34 11 100
≥0.90%Ni UG – – 5.3 1.6 5.3 1.6 85
Mt Keith (7)
Variable between 0.35%Ni and 0.40%Ni and ≥ OC 69 0.57 19 0.55 88 0.57 502 12 100
0.18% recoverable Ni SP 4.7 0.51 3.7 0.45 8.4 0.48 40
Cliffs (8) ≥1.2%Ni UG – – 0.45 2.0 0.45 2.0 9 0.9 100
Yakabindie (9) ≥0.35%Ni OP 107 0.56 44 0.61 150 0.57 855 15 100
Venus (10) ≥1.3%Ni UG – – 2.1 2.7 2.1 2.7 57 7 100
(1) Approximate drill hole spacings used to classify the reserves were:
(5) Leinster - Ore Reserves includes operations and projects.
Deposit Proved Reserves Probable Reserves (6) Leinster - The decrease in Ore Reserves was due to depletion. Inherent within the Reserve Life calculation were OC and UG, which have
Leinster 25m × 25m 25m × 50m a Reserve Life of 3 years and 11 years respectively.
Mt Keith 40m × 40m 80m × 80m
Cliffs 25m × 25m (and development) 25m × 25m (7) Mt Keith - The increase in Ore Reserves was mainly due to the inclusion of additional mining areas based on updated economic
parameters.
Yakabindie 40m × 60m 80m × 60m
Venus 25m x 25m 50m x 50m (8) Cliffs - The decrease in Ore Reserves was mainly due to depletion and redesign of the mine areas.
(2) Ore delivered to the process plant. (9) Yakabindie - The increase in Ore Reserves was mainly due to the inclusion of additional mining areas.
(3) Metallurgical recoveries for the operations were: (10) Venus – Maiden reporting of Ore Reserves.
Deposit Metallurgical Recovery
Leinster OC 83%
Mt Keith 64%
Cliffs 83% recovery at 10% concentrate grade.
Yakabindie 63% (based on metallurgical test work)
Venus 89%
(4) Predicted metallurgical recoveries for the projects were:
Deposit Metallurgical Recovery
Leinster UG 88%
OC 51%
7
Nickel West is a valuable option
Optionality
Nickel West offers several potential growth pathways each unlocked through exploration,
debottlenecking and processing innovation. In execution
Orphan Basin Ecuador and South
South Flank Atlantis Phase 3
Higher exploration Australia exploration
(Iron ore) (Petroleum)
return (Petroleum) (Copper)
Nickel West Spence Materials
Trion appraisal Mad Dog Phase 2
expansion Reprocessing
(Petroleum) (Petroleum)
(Nickel) (Copper)
Resolution Wards Well Spence Growth Option Scarborough
(Copper) (Metallurgical coal) (Copper) (Petroleum)
Autonomous Haulage
Olympic Dam Jansen Stage 1
South Walker Creek Australia
Lower Expansion Project (Potash)
(Minerals Australia)
(Metallurgical coal)
return (Copper)
Higher risk Lower risk
Note: Olympic Dam Expansion Project refers to heap leach technology development option.
Eddy Haegel, Asset President Nickel West
5 August 2019 8
The transformative impact of electric vehicles will …
Electric vehicles sales growth ranges between 19 - 36% CAGR Global EV annual sales (2015-2030)
• We have increasing confidence in this megatrend and have
raised our low case for electric vehicle market share CAGR (%)
2017-2030
• While electric vehicle numbers are presently low, they are
expected to grow in the long run
• Significant investment by car manufacturers is driving an
unprecedented increase in lithium-ion battery demand and High
investment ~36
• Average cost of batteries is declining: Full pack now costs less
than $180 per kWh on average1, down from almost $290 per
kWh two years ago and over $1000 per kWh in the early part of
this decade
• When battery pack costs fall to $100 per kWh, they become cost
competitive to combustion engines. Low
Range of analyst
Historical EV sales forecasts ~19
Sales
2015 16 17 18 2025 2030
1. Bloomberg New Energy Finance
Source: BHP analysis. Analyst forecast to 2025 includes UBS; BoAML; IDTechEx; Liberum;
Woodmac; BNEF; Navigant and IHS.
Eddy Haegel, Asset President Nickel West
5 August 2019 9
… drive a significant increase in future nickel demand
Nickel is the “workhorse” of battery technology Global primary nickel demand and battery demand
Nickel in vehicle demand is increasing (000 tonnes)
4,500 CAGR (%)
• Batteries are becoming larger to improve vehicle range and 2017-2030
performance 4,000
4½
• Within the battery, nickel-based cathodes are taking market
3,500
share from non-nickel cathodes
• And within nickel-based cathodes, the nickel in cathodes is 3,000
increasing to realise better vehicle performance and lower costs 2,500 ~1 ½
(NMC111 to NMC811)
2,000
• A 60kwh NMC811 battery needs 70kg of nickel, 11kg of lithium
and 9kg of cobalt 1 1,500
• These changes will drive a significant increase in global nickel 1,000 ~20
demand - just not yet
500
• Expect nickel in battery demand to impact the market in the
~7
mid-late 2020s -
• In the meantime we are making investments to position Nickel 2015 2020 2025 2030
West for this future opportunity. Global primary nickel demand LOW Global primary nickel demand HIGH
Battery demand only LOW Battery demand only HIGH
1. BHP, IDTechEx
Eddy Haegel, Asset President Nickel West
5 August 2019 10We are transitioning to new mines while replenishing
Reserves …
Ore Reserves increase by 654kt 1 to 1,506kt 1 contained nickel
• Measured and Indicated Resource is 4.1Mt 2 with Total
Resource Contained Nickel at 6.3Mt 2 Nickel West Ore Reserves over 10 years
Kt of contained nickel
• Mt Keith Stage H will be completed in the next few months,
Stage J in ore now and will bridge to Yakabindie later this year
• Cliffs low grade continues to be redirected to Mt Keith to improve
Fe:MgO
• Camelot is in ore, with more cutbacks to follow
• Rocky’s Reward Cutback 3 is approaching ore, with Cutback 4
in planning
• Leinster B11 (‘baby’ block cave) is in development
• Venus declares first Reserves (57kt 1 contained nickel) and will
ramp up with paste fill plant commissioning towards the end of
the calendar year.
Financial year
1. Refer to slide 7 for full Ore Reserves breakdown
2. Refer to slide 6 for full Mineral Resources breakdown
Eddy Haegel, Asset President Nickel West
5 August 2019 11… and will invest further to prepare for this opportunity Start a new greenfield exploration program in Western Australia Increase brownfield exploration, particularly around Leinster Nickel Operation Debottleneck the Mt Keith Concentrator Debottleneck the Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter Demonstrate application of HPOX technology for nickel Continue debottlenecking the Kwinana Nickel Refinery Note: Subject to approvals and strict capital allocation framework Eddy Haegel, Asset President Nickel West 5 August 2019 12
With new greenfield exploration in WA …
We have secured a new tenement package, called Seahorse
• 26 tenements along a strike length of 350km over an area of
approximately 13,000km2.
• It is ten times larger than our current tenement holding at Agnew
Wiluna Belt.
• Seahorse has direct access to rail and major highway routes to Seahorse Greenfield
Exploration Project
Nickel West processing infrastructure.
• It is around 450km by road to the Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter and
is in close proximity to the Transline Railway corridor.
Eddy Haegel, Asset President Nickel West
5 August 2019 13… and increasing brownfield exploration at Leinster ...
Leinster has far more untapped potential
• Brownfield exploration success at Leinster is highly value accretive by providing potential feed to fill spare capacity in the mill.
Perseverance portal Rocky’s Reward Harmony Pit
Perseverance Rocky’s Reward Harmony
CB2 CB3 CB4
Venus Ore Body
Proposed superhighway Curiosity
Curiosity
Current access to Venus
B11
Perseverance Channel drill hole intersections
Mineralised
Assays pending • 1-LVU465-2 = 72m @ 1.6%Ni (including 41m @ 2.0%Ni)
500m Not mineralised
3 5 8
• 2-LVU465-3 = 87m @ 1.1%Ni (including 33m @ 2.0%Ni)
1
2 4 6
7
• 3,4 assays pending, logging indicates nickel sulphides presence
Further information on Perseverance Channel exploration program
on Slides 3, 4 and 5. • 5-LSDX132W1 = not mineralised
• 6-LSDX132W2 = 137m @ 0.87%Ni (including 27m @ 2.0%Ni)
• 7-LSDX132 = 81m @ 1.0%Ni (including 14m @ 1.4%Ni)
• 8-LSDX132W3 = 6m @ 0.87%Ni
Eddy Haegel, Asset President Nickel West
5 August 2019 14… increasing Mineral Resources1 of existing deposits ...
Leinster has far more untapped potential
• Increases of Mineral Resources and improved classification at Venus1 from ongoing successful resource definition drilling.
Perseverance portal Rocky’s Reward Harmony Pit
Perseverance Rocky’s Reward Harmony
CB2 CB3 CB4
Venus Ore Body
Proposed superhighway Curiosity
Curiosity
Current access to Venus
B11
500m
1 For a complete table of BHP’s Nickel Mineral Resources see slide 6
2018 2019
Venus Mineral Resources classification upgrade
Eddy Haegel, Asset President Nickel West
5 August 2019 15… completing the study to expand capacity at Mt Keith …
Mt Keith production could grow by debottlenecking
the milling circuit
• We can leverage the significant spare capacity in the flotation Milling operations
circuit of the concentrator, increasing feed from 10.5mtpa to Mt Keith Concentrator
12mtpa
• Progressive and incremental investment in new flotation
technology could further expand capacity to 15mtpa over time
• Expanding the milling capacity could improve processing of
harder ores, reduce grind size and provide a recovery benefit
• This would increase equity production and support our plans to
fill the smelter.
Note: Subject to approvals and strict capital allocation framework
Eddy Haegel, Asset President Nickel West
5 August 2019 16… by debottlenecking and filling the smelter …
The Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter is the heart of Nickel West
• The furnace hearth was undamaged by the transformer fire in
2018 and the next furnace rebuild remains scheduled for 2026 Process optimization on the tapping floor
• Several low cost debottlenecking opportunities have been
identified at the smelter which offer the ability to increase
smelter production
• We are investing in the plant and equipment to increase
sustainability of production and increase capacity
• We aspire to grow capacity to 110-120ktpa over the coming
years.
Note: Subject to approvals and strict capital allocation framework
Eddy Haegel, Asset President Nickel West
5 August 2019 17… by studying the application of a new technology, HPOX
HPOX offers a processing pathway for waste streams
• HPOX (High Pressure Oxidation) can process waste streams
like refinery residue, converter and furnace slag Slag waste
Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter
• It can also process our significant stockpiles of oxide material
and our in-ground oxide resources
• Batch pilot test work has been completed and demonstrates
successful extraction of up to 95% recovery of contained nickel
and cobalt using HPOX
• HPOX also better manages high arsenic and talc concentrates,
offering an alternative pathway to the refinery, alongside the
conventional smelter route.
• A continuous pilot plant could validate these results
• If approved, would be constructed adjacent to the Kalgoorlie
smelter to prove up the technology at a commercial scale
• HPOX could unlock potential in waste slag and trigger Ore
Reserves study on Nickel West Oxide Mineral Resources.
Note: Subject to approvals and strict capital allocation framework
Eddy Haegel, Asset President Nickel West
5 August 2019 18… and by continuing to expand the Kwinana Refinery
Record production for the third year Metal Production
• Refinery continues to deliver annual production records (kt Ni)
90
• Capacity enabled by low cost debottlenecking
80
• Refinery expansion to 90ktpa submitted for regulatory approval
70
• Nickel West debottlenecking cost to 90kt is expected to be less
than US$5k/t 60
– UBS1 estimate new HPAL refinery capacity would cost
50
~US$40k/t.
40
• Refinery operating costs are benefiting from scale benefits
30
• Increased margin achieved by converting matte to metal plus by-
products. 20
10
0
1. UBS, 2017
Eddy Haegel, Asset President Nickel West
5 August 2019 19Nickel metal sales to the battery sector move past 75%
Powder and briquettes are the preferred form of nickel metal Sales to the battery sector, Kwinana
for the production of nickel sulphate
• In 2015, Nickel West sold no product to the battery sector % of Ni Metal sales
100%
• Today we sell 75% of our production
90%
• With about 30% share of imports, Nickel West has become a
leading supplier of nickel powder to China. 80%
Forecast
• Our customers include car and battery manufacturers and 70%
cathode and precursor producers 60%
• All metal is used for consumption in Asia. 50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
H1 H2 H1 H2 H1 H2 H1 H2 H1 H2
2016 2016 2017 2017 2018 2018 2019 2019 2020 2020
Calendar Year
Eddy Haegel, Asset President Nickel West
5 August 2019 20Our first nickel sulphate product will be produced next
year …
Construction of the Nickel Sulphate Plant progresses Crystalliser lift
Nickel Sulphate Project
• All contracts have been issued Kwinana
• All civils and concrete work complete
• Crystalliser assembly is well advanced
• All major components due to arrive over the next few months
• Over half of the plant is being fabricated locally, including the
steel work, fibreglass leach vessels and other stainless steel
tanks and pipe-racks
• We anticipate delivering first nickel sulphate product in Q2
CY2020.
Ash Parker & Sam Penglis
Kwinana Nickel Refinery
Eddy Haegel, Asset President Nickel West
5 August 2019 21WA’s nickel industry has a great future ahead
Nickel will be retained in the BHP portfolio
• The nickel industry has been operating in the Goldfields region
for over 50 years, and Nickel West is the most significant nickel
player in this region
• The decision to retain Nickel West and invest in the asset is
testimony to the innovation and hard work of our people to find
new markets and partners
• It is a vote of confidence in Western Australia as a destination to
invest and be part of the new battery materials supply chain
• Our people are resilient, innovative and transformative and
continue to Think big when it comes to Nickel West.
Diksha Karwasra
Graduate Process Engineer
Kalgoorlie Nickel Smelter
Eddy Haegel, Asset President Nickel West
5 August 2019 22You can also read
